Sales Coaching Advice: 7 Things Smart Salespeople Don’t Say

Sometimes the best sales coaching advice tells you what not to say. As Travis Bradberry points out in his Inc. piece, what you say always matters, no matter how innocuous the statement might seem. If you’ve got a motormouth, or have one on your team, take heed to this sales coaching advice: smart sales people never say these seven things.

1. “It wasn’t me.”

Passing off blame, or pointing out someone else’s mistake, takes away from providing a solution to a problem, advises Bradberry. Instead of focusing your energy on what went wrong, or who was in charge of wrongdoing, channel it into how to make the situation right, and how to prevent it next time.

2. “I hate this job.”

Think it, don’t say it. And if you think it 24/7, then take this sales coaching advice: brush your resume off and get started on searching for something new. Complaining about your job is the oldest trick in the bag to get people to not like you or find you tiresome. (But if that’s your goal, congratulations! You’re well on your way with an attitude like that.)

3. “He shouldn’t have done it like that.”

Analyzing another person’s performance isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when it’s not your job to provide sales coaching advice, or if you have nothing constructive to add, then it winds up taking away from the bottom line and hurting morale. It’s like your mother said, with a twist. If you have nothing important to say, don’t say it at all.

4 . “I’ll try.”

Bradberry says it best: remove “I think I can” from your vocabulary. Taking ownership of a project can seem risky if you’re not sure of its outcome, but putting forth your best effort is better than sitting back and over-analyzing whether it’s worth the effort to begin with.

5. “This question is probably dumb, but…”

The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. If you’re seeking clarity, you need to communicate—and the best salespeople are not afraid to get answers or ask for sales coaching advice.

6. “But this is how we’ve always done it!”

Innovation is a constantly-moving machine, filled with many parts. And it only moves forward if your ideas and actions move forward, too. Staying where you are is what will keep you dead in the water. Salespeople should constantly be examining their processes and adapting new methods to stay current.

7. “Life isn’t fair.”

No kidding! But opportunity awaits those who see problems as challenges to be overcome. It’s a matter of how you want to focus your time and attention on that will either serve you or deter you. Good sales coaching advice can help rebalance your focus, and shift ahead.